In the article “The Fracking of Rachel Carson” published in Orion Magazine Sandra Steingraber makes clear that for all the honors and sculptures and children’s books honoring Rachel we really haven’t learned a thing from her hard-won teachings.

Rachel Carson as she was dying of cancer addressed an audience of physicians. She gave three reasons why it is so hard to get people and corporations to give up the toxic industries like fracking.

We wait too long to evaluate the risks.

We fail to admit that nature deals with toxins in unpredictable ways. They enter cycles and fractures and pathways that we know little about.

We ignore the harm done to other living things and think we are immune from those same effects.

In a private letter Rachel added a fourth reason. Scientists who work for government agencies are cowards. They see the incompatibility of policy and human health and safety but they don’t blow their whistles.

Does all this send shivers down your spine? It should. Rachel taught us this 50 years ago!

If you live in NY call Cuomo today and tell him no fracking in New York. 1-518-474-8390